Ardha Chandrasana

Pronunciation: (ar-dauh chan-DRAWS-ahna)

Sanskrit translation: Ardha means half. Candra or Chandra means moon or luminous, as in the light from the moon. Asana means posture or pose in Sanskrit.

The moon is symbolic in yoga mythology.  Hatha, as in hatha yoga, is sometimes taken to mean sun and moon from the syllables “ha” and “tha” representing solar and lunar energies. Yoga means yoke, so hatha yoga is a binding or yoking together of solar and lunar energies. Chandra is also the golden moon god known as Soma. Soma is the elixir of immortality drunk by the gods. So in doing the posture Ardha Chandrasana (half moon pose), one tunes into the unconscious energy of the moon which changes by waxing and waning.

Technique:  Ardha Chandrasana is often performed a standing pose series, after Utthita Trikonasana or before other balancing standing poses.

Start Ardha Chandrasana by doing  Utthita Trikonasana (Triangle Pose) on your right side. From here you will move into the Half Moon Pose.

Rest the left hand on the left hip. Bend the right knee and slide the left foot forward towards the right foot until the hips are over the right foot and it is an easy matter to lift the rear left leg up off the floor.  The right foot is your base, so feel the earth supporting you underneath the foot. Bring the right hand to the floor about a foot in front of the right foot and slightly to the right of the right foot.  Place the fingertips on the floor. Use the firm contact of the fingers of your right hand and your right foot pressing to support yourself as you fully straighten the right leg and lift the left leg until it is parallel to the floor. Avoid any flexing at the knee joint of the raised leg. 

Maintain equal stretch in the raised leg’s top and bottom ankle.  Avoid either compressing the back ankle by stretching the top foot or compressing the top ankle by stretching the heel. 

Your standing leg is straight but it isn’t locked or hyper-extended. Lift the kneecap to assist the standing leg in keeping firm and strong. Open the hips, stacking the left hip on top of the right hip. Roll your body open so that your torso revolves toward the ceiling.  

Your right standing leg should bear most of the weight with your right hand touching lightly on the floor and assisting in the balance.  As the left hip opens up towards the sky allow the right hand to move forward so that, when your hips are facing squarely forward, the right arm comes straight down to the floor under the right shoulder.

If you are a beginner, keep your left hand on your hip and look forward in a neutral position. If you have done this pose before and have found a good balance, reach your left arm up towards the ceiling, opening the chest and making a straight line with the right and left arms.

Keeping your neck’s cervical spine open, turn the head and direct your gaze upwards towards the left fingertips.  Avoid craning the neck which compresses the back of the cervical spine or bringing the chin to far towards the chest and compressing the frontal cervical spine.

Come out of the pose by bending the standing leg and lowering the raised leg to the floor and then straight the legs to return to the Utthita Trikonasana triangle pose.  Take a couple of breaths and then lightly leap the legs together into the “simple” standing pose (Tadasana). 

Rest in Tadasana for a moment before repeating the posture on the other side.

Beginner tips: Use the support of the wall to do the pose. Do the pose with the standing leg a couple of inches away from the wall.  The wall helps the balance and in the hip and groin opening movement. As you open the hips the top buttock of the raised leg should approach the wall as the bottom buttock moves away from the wall.

If your hamstring stretch does not yet allow you to keep the standing leg straight while bringing the fingertips to the floor, position a block (or if necessary a higher prop) underneath the hand that is reaching toward the floor. This will allow you to have the desired full extension in the standing leg while the fingers of the downward facing hand still provide support for the balance. 

You can move away from the wall, and still use the prop under the downward facing arm as you are learning the pose.

Benefits

In Ardha Chandrasana leg strength is gained from balancing on one leg.  This pose is also very effective in strengthening ankles.

The pose requires and cultivates balance and equanimity.

It strengthens the legs, abdomen, ankles, thighs, buttocks, and builds coordination and a sense of balance

It provides a healthy stretch for the groins, hamstrings and calves, shoulders, chest, and spine.

Ardha Chandrasana improves digestion.

The pose is known to lifts ones mood and gives a sense of accomplishment.

Contraindications/Cautions

Keep head facing forward if you have any neck issues.

Don’t do the pose with a headache, low blood pressure, diarrhea or insomnia.

Don’t do the pose if your hips, back, or shoulders have injuries.

Special thanks to Victor Oppenheimer of Yoga.com who is an expert yoga teacher. Thanks to Victor for the editing and feedback on this asana article.